One School System for Ontario (Petition to End Funding of Catholic Schools)

MPP Jessica Bell (NDP University-Rosedale) has agreed to present a petition at Queen’s Park, calling for the elimination of public funding for the Catholic school systems. We need your assistance in circulating physical copies and returning them by mail, no later than October 1, 2023, to:

Petitions ℅ Centre for Inquiry Canada
PO Box 83045, Ottawa RPO Bank & Walkley
Ontario  K1V 1A3

The text of the petition was created in partnership between CRIPE, Secular Connexion, OPEN, CFIC, and Humanist Ottawa. It was difficult to eliminate some compelling arguments for this petition, but was required to ensure there was space on the petition for signatures. When asked to select the points which could be eliminated, one committee member expressed, “That’s like asking me to choose between my children.” However, these and many other compelling reasons to discontinue the public funding of Catholic schools are available on the One Public Education Now website.

Your signature will help to ensure that this petition is presented in the provincial legislature and will attract media attention and raise public awareness. This is another step in the eventual, inevitable withdrawal of discriminatory public funding for a school system that is not open to all.

Please help us collect signatures. You can download a printable PDF here. Share the petition on social media, through email, and in any other way you can think of. If you are attending a live event, please bring copies of the petition with you. (Some have noticed that if you print directly from your browser, the margins may not be properly aligned – this can usually be fixed if you download the document then print from your PDF reader – e.g. Adobe.)

To be presented to the Legislative Assembly, a petition must meet the following rules (taken from https://www.ola.org/en/get-involved/petitions):

• It must ask for an action that is within the jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly.
• It must use clear and respectful language.
• The text of the petition must be at the top of every page of signatures.
• All signatures must be original. They must be written directly on the petition.
• Each petitioner must print their name and address and sign their name under the text of the petition.
• Petitioners must be residents of Ontario.
• The petition must be addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
• The petition must be written, typewritten, or printed. Emailed, faxed, photocopied, or online petitions are not allowed.

Please note:

Do not change or annotate the petition. Any changes, including written notations, may invalidate the form, including all signatures on the page. If you have technical questions please contact Petitions@Centreforinquiry.ca.